RTSH, the Albanian national broadcaster has confirmed to ESCToday the names of the 54th Festivali i Këngës hosts.
Pandi Laço, Gresa Pallaska and Blerta Tafani will have the honour of hosting the forthcoming 2016 Albanian Eurovision national selection- 54th Festivali i Këngës.
FiK 54 is scheduled to be held on 25, 26 and 27 December at the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana. The 3 shows will be webcast live on RTSH’s official website whilst the grand final will also be streamed live on eurovision.tv.
The traditional Albanian song festival will consist of 2 Semi-finals and the Grand Final. The winner of FiK 54 will be awarded the golden ticket to represent Albania at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest next May.
A total of 30 acts will battle to represent Albania at the forthcoming Eurovision edition. 15 acts will compete in each of the 2 Semi-finals. 9 acts from each semi-final will proceed to the Grand Final.
You can watch mini-clips of the competing entries here.
The 2016 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 10, 12 and 14 May.
In 2015 Albania selected its Eurovision act via its annual song festival Festivali i Kenges. Elhaida Dani won the 2014 Festivali i Kenges and was awarded the golden ticket to represent Albania at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. She achieved a 17th placing at the grand final with her entry I’m alive.
Albania debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004 with Anjeza Shahini and is yet to win the event. The country achieved its best result in the competition in 2012 with Rona Nishliu‘s Suus, placing 5th.
